LEWISTON — The City Council approved a lease agreement that secures a new future home for the Lewiston Police Department on Tuesday, in the final meeting for Mayor Mark Cayer and other elected officials.

The agreement will send the police department to Bates Mill No. 7, following a renovation that’s expected to cost some $12 million.

Officials have said the 48,000 square-foot building owned by developer Tom Platz is a more cost effective alternative to building an entirely new headquarters. A study commissioned last year identified several major issues with the city’s current station on Park Street, but listed the price tag for building new or renovating at more than $30 million.

The initial nine-year agreement stipulates the city would pay an annual rent of $420,000, with an option to purchase the building starting in year six.

Members of the City Council have been supportive of the idea since it was proposed earlier this year and voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the agreement. Cayer said that with a total cost of roughly $18 million over a number of years, the option comes at “a significant savings,” compared to the price tag of a new standalone facility elsewhere in Lewiston.

It was Cayer’s last meeting as mayor, with Mayor-elect Carl Sheline slated to be sworn in on Jan. 3.

ARMORY UPGRADES

Also on Tuesday, the City Council approved “phase 1” of renovations to the Lewiston Armory as part of its work to prepare for the L-A Maples, a semiprofessional women’s basketball team that will use the Armory as its home court starting in 2022.

According to Recreation Director Nicole Welch, $305,521 will go toward a structural analysis on infrastructure, utilities and use of space at the Armory building. She said the upgrades will be done with, “safety and visitor experience in mind, ensuring it will be a positive experience for all attendees.”

She said the Maples are set to begin exhibition games in May.

According to a memo, the city aims to prepare the Lewiston Armory for the thousands of visitors and for hosting a team. The analysis would look into adding a conference room, offices and locker rooms in the basement, as well as a new HVAC system and improvements to seating and restrooms. The bulk of that work would require a phase two of funding.

Mayor Mark Cayer, left, gives outgoing Councilor Michel Lajoie a “public service champion” award Tuesday during his final meeting as an elected official. Lajoie served as the city’s fire chief and as a state representative in the Maine Legislature before being elected to the City Council. Submitted photo

LAJOIE HONORED

At the start of Tuesday’s meeting, Cayer honored outgoing Councilor Michel Lajoie with a “public service champion” award for his years of service in Lewiston.

The emotional ceremony was a surprise to Lajoie, who received accolades from city officials as well as Gov. Janet Mills for his military service, years as fire chief and as an elected official.

Lajoie served as Lewiston Fire Chief from 1994-2006 and served as a state representative in the Maine Legislature from 2009 to 2016. He was elected to the Lewiston City Council in 2018.

“Mike has been a gift to all of us,” Cayer said during the ceremony Tuesday, which featured several firefighters in attendance. Cayer also declared Tuesday “Mike Lajoie Day” in the city of Lewiston.

Gov. Janet Mills, attending through Zoom, said she is proud to know Lajoie. The pair met when Mills was the District Attorney in Androscoggin County and then at the state level. She said Lajoie was often “the voice of reason” in Augusta, especially during his time on the criminal justice and public safety committee.

“There were a lot of people with agendas, but your only agenda was protecting the people of Maine,” she said.